Double-acting liner hanger



1961 E. BURNS 3,006,414

DOUBLE-ACTING LINER HANGER Filed Oct. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. BURNS DOUBLE-ACTING LINER HANGER INVENTOR. Hem/v cbufi sz BY i? %w M Euz" Oct. 31, 1961 Filed Oct. 14, 1957 3,006,414 DOUBLE-ACTING LINER GER Erwin Burns, Los Angeles, Calif. Burns Tool Co., 8346 Salt Lake Ave, Bell, Calif.) Filed Oct. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 689,930 8 Claims. (Cl. 166-424) This invention relates to a well tool and is more particularly concerned with a double-acting liner hanger construction adapted to be engaged in a well structure.

It is common practice, upon completing an oil well, to suspend a liner hanger from the lower end of the well casing, to depend into the production formation of the well. Such liners are generally suspended from the casing by means of a liner hanging tool characterized by an annular body fixed to the upper end of the liner and carrying a plurality of upwardly and radially outwardly shiftable casing engaging slips. The slips of the ordinary liner hanger are normally held in a retracted or unactuated position and are adapted to be released by means of a suitable setting tool, or the like, to engage the well casing when the liner is arranged in the desired position in the well. When the slips are actuated or released, and shifted upwardly and outwardly, they establish tigtht wedging engagement between the body of the hanger and the well casing and prevent the hanger and the liner secured thereto from shifting or dropping downwardly in the well.

In many oil wells, especially where gas is produced, high pressures are generated in the well. These pressures have a tendency to build up and then subside as the well is being produced, with the result that a surgng action is present in the well. This surging action In a well has a tendency to urge or blow the liner upwardly in the casing and when the pressures encountered are sufficient to overcome the weight of the liner and to release the wedging engagiment of the slips between the hanger body and the casing, the liner with the hanger, shifts upwardly in the well, rendering the well inoperative and requiring that the liner be reset.

The above is especially true in installations where the annulus between the liner and the casing is packed off by means of a suitable packer which is related to the hanger and which prevents the free escape of gas and surging fluid upwardly through the casing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a double-acting liner hanger adapted to prevent upward and downward movement of a liner in the well.

A feature of my invention is to provide a liner hanger having casing engaging suspension slips adapted to suspend the construction in the well and prevent downward movement or shifting thereof and having hold-down slips adapted to engage the casing and normally preventing upward movement of the construction in the well.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a liner hanger construction of the character referred to having novel means adapted to normally hold the holddown slips in a retracted or unactuated position and operable when the suspension slips are set to release the hold-down slips and urge them into tight wedging engagiment with the well casing.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide hold-down slips that can be easily and advantageously freed from engagement with the well casing when it is desired to pull the hanger and the liner from the well in which they are engaged.

A feature of the present invention is to provide holddown slips that are collapsible upon the exertion of pressure thereon and to provide recesses or spaces in the A 3,%6,4l4 ?aten.ted Get. 31, 1951 body of the hanger to receive the hold-down slips when they are collapsed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a liner hanger of the general character referred to which can be removed from a well structure without damage to the casing and/or other elements or parts of the well structure associated therewith.

An object of the present invention is to provide a liner hanger construction of the character referred to which involves a minimum number of parts, a construction which is easy and economical of manufacture and a construction which is both highly effective and dependable in operation and is easy and economical to operate and maintain.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the well tool provided by the present invention and showing it engaged in a. well and in an unactuated position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and showing the tool that I provide in an actuated or set position in the well.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken as indicated by line 33 on FIG. 2 and showing the construction in an actuated position.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken as indicated by line 44 on FIG. 1 and showing the construction that I provide in an unactuated position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of the construction illustrated in FIG. 1 and showing the hold-down slips.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hold-down slip provided by the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken as indicated by line 77 on FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 88 on FIG. 3 and showing certain of the hold-down slips in a collapsed condition.

In practice, it is desirable that the double-acting liner hanger provided by the present invention be associated with a suitable packer. Accordingly, I will show and describe a liner hanger construction embodying the present invention and having a packing means related or incorporated therein.

The well tool that I provide is adapted to be engaged in a casing 10 in a Well bore 11 to support a liner 12 therein and to pack ofi the annulus between the tool and the casing in which it is engaged. The tool is shown as an elongate assemblage and involves generally, a setting tool A, a liner hanger B releasably carried by the setting tool, and a packer C related to the hanger and carrying the liner 12.

The setting tool A that I provide includes a mandrel 13 adapted to be engaged with the lower end of a run-in string of tubing 14, an elongate coupler 15 carried by the mandrel and adapted to releasably engage the hanger B, a sleeve 16 rotatably carried by the coupler and carrying a plurality of slip engaging fingers 17, and a bearing nut 18 on the coupler and retaining the sleeve.

The mandrel 13 is an elongate vertically disposed member, polygonal in cross-section and is provided at its upper end with an internally threaded enlargement 19, which receives the male member of a drill pipe joint 20 at the lower end of the run-in string 14. The lower end of the mandrel is threaded to receive a suitable stop nut 21.

The coupler 15 carried by the mandrel 13 is an elongate cylindrical member having upper and lower end portions 22 and 23 and a central longitudinally disposed polygonal opening 24 extending longitudinally therethrough and in which the mandrel 13 is engaged for free longitudinal movement and for positive rotational drive. The exterior surface of the lower portion 23 of the coupler is formed with left hand threads 25. The upper portion 22 of the coupler is of reduceddiameter with respect to the lower portion 23 and has a straight cylindrical outer wall 26 adapted to rotatably carry the sleeve 16. The coupler 15 is free to shift longitudinally relative to the mandrel 13 and is retained from displacement on the mandrel by the enlargementr19 as the upper end thereof and the stop nut 21 at the lower end thereof.

The sleeve 16 is an elongate cylindrical member and is formed at its lower end with a frusto-conical face 27. The sleeve 16 is engaged about the upper portion 22 of the coupler to have a running fit therewith and so that its lower terminal end engages and rests on the shoulder 28 established on the coupler where the upper section 22 joins the y lowersection 23, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

The bearing nut 18 is a simple, internally threaded, annular part, screw-threaded on an external extension 29 at the upper terminal end of the coupler. The bearing nut projects radially outwardly from the coupler to overlie the ,.top. of the. sleeve 16, to maintain the sleeve engaged on the coupler. In practice, a suitable anti-friction ball bearing 30 is engaged between the bearing nut and the sleeve to assure relative free rotation therebetween.

The slip engaging fingers 17 carried by the sleeve of the a setting tool A-are simple, straight, vertically disposed members secured to the sleeve about its outer periphery in spaced relationship to each other and depend from the sleeve to overlie and occur in spaced parallel relationship with the lower screw portion 23 of the coupler. 15. The fingers 17 are adapted to cooperate with the longitudinally shiftable suspension slips of the hanger construction in a manner that will hereinafter be described.

The liner hanger B that I provide and which is releasably carried by the setting tool A is shown as including a tubular body 31 having upper and lower portions 32 and 33 and an elongate cylindrical bore 34 extending longitudinally therethrough. The upper portion 32 of the body isprovided with a downwardly tapered annular seat 35 which is complementary to the bottom face 27 of the sleeve 16 of the setting tool A. The body is further provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced up- 7 wardly and radially inclined guideways 36Vformed in its outer wall, which guideways slidably receive wickered casing engaging suspension slips 37. The suspension slips 37 are adapted to be urged upwardly and outwardly in the inclined guideways 36 by'a pair of springs 38 carried by in the slots 40, are in longitudinal alignment, with the displacement from the guideways 36 by suitable dove tailed connections between the side edges of the slips and the adjacent sides of the guideways. Since the abovementioned connection does not affect the novelty of the present invention and is in accordance with normal practice, I will not burden this application with unnecessary t illustration and further description thereof. The above detail is illustrated and described in Patent No. 2,589,337

4 issued to Erwin Burns, March 18, 1952, and entitled Liner Hanger.

The hanger B of the present invention is further provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced downwardly and radially outwardly inclined guideways 41 formed in the outer wall of the body 31, which guideways slidably receive Wickered hold-down slips 42. The guideways 41 and hold-down slips 42 are shown spaced below and circumferentially ofiset from the guideways 36 and slips 37. The hold-down slips 42 are adapted to be urged downwardly and outwardly in the guideways 41 and into wedging engagement with the casing 10 by suitable springs 43 mounted in the body at the upper end of the guideways 41 and engageable with the heels of the hold-down slips 42, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

In the form of the invention illustrated, the hold-down slips 42 are provided with laterally projecting retaining flanges 44 along their side edges. The retaining flanges 44 slidably engage in grooves 45 provided along the sides *of the guideways 41 and in such a manner as to prevent displacement of the slips from the body 31.

The inner surface 46 of each hold-down slip 42 is milled out or relieved, as clearly illustrated in the drawings, and so that it will support a predetermined load or force, but such that it will collapse inwardly when the load or force exerted thereon exceeds the amount which the slips is designed to support.

The upper portion 32 of the body 31 is provided with radially outwardly openings or recesses 47 at the bottoms of-the guideways 41, which openings or recesses are of sufiicient longitudinal and circumferential extent as to accommodate and receive the hold-down slips 42 when the said hold-down slips are collapsed, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings, and as will hereinafter be described.

In practice, the recesses or openings 47 can vary Widely in depth, according to the wall thickness of the body 31, and the size and proportioning of the hold-down slips 42. In the case illustrated, I have shown them extending clear through the body 31 and will therefore refer to them as openings in the following description.

- The hold-down slips are normally held up in their retracted position by means of pin 48 which projects through the openings 47 to engage an actuating sleeve 50 slidably engaged in the bore 34 of the body 31.

The actuating sleeve 50 slidably engaged in the'bol'e -34 of the body is a simple, straight, elongate cylindrical member. The sleeve 50 is internally threaded at its upper end as indicated by 51, to receive the threads at the lower portion 23 of the coupler 15 of the setting tool A. The actuating sleeve 50 is keyed against rotation and against longitudinal displacement from the body 31 by a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly projecting lugs 52 at its lower end portion, which lugs project through elongate vertically disposed and circumferentially 'spaced slots 53 in the body 31.

the body.

The upper ends of the slots 53 terminate in the body 31 at a point spaced from the upper end of the body and so that when the upper terminal end of the actuating sleeve occurs adjacent the inner peripheral edge of the tapered seat 35, at the upper end of the body, the lugs 5-2 on the sleeve engage and seat in the upper ends of the slots. With this relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the sleeve 50 is positively held against displacement in the body 31 and that when the coupler 15 of the setting tool is engaged therein, the sleeve 50 supports and carries the body 31 and the other parts of the construction fixed to and carried by the body.

The actuating sleeve 50 is operatively related or coupled to the packing means C and is adapted to be shifted downwardly relative to the body 31, to actuate the packing means in a manner that will hereinafter be described.

The packing means C of the tool provided by the present invention is shown as including a barrel 6% engaged in the lower terminal end of the hanger body 31 to depend therefrom, an annular body of deformable packing material 61 carried by the barrel about the exterior thereof and a sleeve-like follower 62 slidably carried by the barrel and the body. The follower 62 is operatively connected to or coupled with the actuating sleeve 59, by means of the lugs 52 and is adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the barrel 6t) and to urge the body of packing material radially outwardly and into sealing engagement with the inner wall of the well casing in which the tool is engaged.

The barrel 60 of the packer is an elongate vertically disposed tubular member having a central longitudinally disposed bore 63 extending therethrough, a cylindrical outer wall 64 and a radially outwardly projecting flange like enlargement 65 at a point spaced intermediate its ends.

The upper terminal end of the barrel is externally threaded as at 66 and is engaged in complementary threads 67 provided at the lower end of bore 34 in the hanger body 31. The lower terminal end of the barrel is externally threaded as at 68 and is threadedly engaged with a suitable collar 69 provided at the upper end of the liner 12. With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the barrel 60 is rigidly coupled to the hanger body 31 and that the liner 12 is in turn rigidly coupled to the packer barrel, with the end result that the hanger body, packer barrel and liner establish a rigid assembly.

The flange-like enlargement 65 on the packer barrel 60 is spaced a substantial distance below the lower end of the body 31 of the hanger and is provided with an up wardly and radially inwardly inclined top face 70.

The follower 62 of the packing means C is shown as including an annular body portion 71 slidably engaged on the packer barrel 60 and having a downwardly and radially inclined bottom face 72, which face opposes the top face 70 of the enlargement 65 on the barrel.

The follower 62 is shown as further having an annular skirt 73 projecting upwardly from its outer periphery and slidably engaged around the lower portion 33 of the hanger body 31, which lower portion 33 of the hanger body is slightly less in diametric extent than the upper portion 32 thereof.

The body of packing material 61 is a simple, annular body of lead or other suitable malleable or deformable packing material, and is engaged around the barrel between the opposing faces 70 and 72 on the enlargement 65 of the barrel 6% and the follower 62. The ends of the body of packing material are provided with radially inwardly inclined faces 74 adapted to cooperatively engage the faces 70 and 72 on the enlargement 65 and the follower 62 related thereto.

The upper end of the skirt 73 on the follower 62 is fixed to the outer ends of the lugs 52 on the actuating sleeve 50 as by means of welding w, with the result that the follower and the sleeve are rigidly fixed to each other to establish a unitary actuating means for packing.

With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparcut that when the sleeve 50 is urged downwardly in the body 31 of the hanger B, the follower 62 connected therewith, is urged downwardly towards the enlargement 65 on the barrel 60, with the result that the body of packing material 61 between the enlargement 65 and the follower 62 is compressed and is forced or distended radially outwardly into tight sealing engagement with the well casing 10.

The pins 48 which extend between the hold-down slips 42 and the actuating sleeve 50 are shown as being fixed in suitable openings 75 provided in the sleeve 50 to project radially outwardly therefrom and so that their outer ends enter into sockets 76 provided in the inner faces 46 of the hold-down slips. The sockets 76 in the hold-down slips 41 are of limited depth. When the actuating sleeve 50 is in its up position, the pins 48 enter into the sockets 76 and hold the slips 42 up in their unactuated position, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7 of the drawings. When the sleeve 50 is shifted downwardly the slips 42 are urged downwardly and outwardly by means of the pin and until they are shifted out of engagement with the pins 48,..,whereupon the springs 43 related thereto urge them downwardly to their fully actuated or set position, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

In operation, when the tool provided by the present invention is assembled in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, and the coupler 15 of the tool A. is threaded into the actuating sleeve 50 in the hanger body 31 so that the bottom face 27 of the sleeve 16 of the setting tool is seated on the inclined seat 35 of the body 31, the fingers 17 carried thereby project into the longitudinal slots 4% into the body 31 and engage the upper ends of the fingers 39 on the suspension slips 37 and hold the slips in their down or unactuated position and against the action of the springs 38. When the coupler 15 is fully threaded into the actuating sleeve 59, the sleeve 50 and the follower 62 of the packing means C related thereto, are held and maintained in their uppermost or unactuated position by the setting tool and the pins 48 on the sleeve engage and hold the hold-down slips 42 in their up or unactuated position.

When it is desired to set the liner 12, the hanger with the liner is lowered into the well casing 10' to the desired depth, after which the run-in string 14 and the mandrel 13 are rotated at suflicient amount to unscrew and elevate the coupler 15 and the sleeve 16 of the setting tool A to a point where the fingers 17 on the sleeve 16 are moved out of engagement in the slots 40 in the hanger body 31 and so as to allow the slips 37 to be urged upwardly and outwardly into wedging engagement with the wall of the well casing 10 by the action of the springs 38, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

In practice, the liner is of sufiicient mass and the threads 25 on the unit 23 are of such pitch so that when the tool is run into the well and the drill pipe is rotated to actuate the tool, the inertia of the liner is sufiicient to prevent the liner from rotating with the drill string and to assure operation of the tool. If the liner is not of sufiicient size and mass to assure operation of the tool, a suitable formation engaging spring cage, or the like, can be applied to the liner to frictionally engage the well bore or casing to hold the liner against rotation.

After the suspension slips 37 of the hanger B are set in the manner set forth above, and the coupler 15 of the setting tool A is unscrewed and retracted from the actuating sleeve 51 a sufficient distance to allow for free rela tive shifting between the sleeve 16 of the setting tool and the hanger body 31, the weight of the run-in string 14 is placed onto the actuating sleeve 50, thereby forcing the actuating sleeve 50 and the packer follower 62, related thereto, downwardly relative to the hanger body 31 and the packer barrel 64) which have already been set in the well casing by the action of the suspension slips 37'. Upon downward movement of the packer follower 62 in the manner set forth above, the annular body of packing material 61 is squeezed or distended radially outwardly to form a fluid tight seal with the well casing, and the hold-down slips 42 are released and shifted into engagement with the casing 10, in the manner clearly set forth above.

After the liner hanger B has been set and the packer 61 withdrawn from engagement with the hanger and there- 'after from the well, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

When the construction is set in the well in the manner set forth above, it will be apparent that the liner is positively set in the well casing 10 against upward and downward movement therein.

When it is desired to pull or remove the tool of the present invention, and the liner from the well, the setting tool is lowered into the well and is threaded into engagement with the actuating sleeve 50. When the setting tool is fully engaged in the sleeve 50 and is seated on the upper end of the body 31, the follower sleeve 50 is shifted upwardly in the construction to release the packing means C, and the suspension slips 37 are, by the action of the fingers 13, of the setting tool, urged downwardly into their unactuated position. When the structure is in the condition set forth above, tension is applied to the run-in string 14 and the tool is withdrawn. As the tool is initially drawn upwardly in the manner set forth above, the hold-down slips 42 are urged and forced into tighter wedging engagement between the body arid the casing and until they collapse and shift into the openings 47 provided in the body, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings, whereupon the entire construction can be freely withdrawn from the well structure.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A liner hanger and packer of the character referred to adapted to be engaged in a well casing including, a

. rality of downwardly and inwardly inclined guideways in the body, slips slidably engaged in the guideways to engage the wall of a casing, spring means between each slip and the body to normally urge the slips longitudinally from an in, unactuated position, to an out, actuated position, said slips in the upwardly inclined guideways being relieved and weakened, an expansible packer carried by the barrel, an actuating sleeve engaged in the body to connect with a setting tool extending into the well casing and operable to shift therein, a follower slidably carried by the barrel to engage the packer, connecting means between the actuating sleeve and the follower whereby downward movement of the sleeve in the body causes the follower to exert expansive pressure onto the packer, and coupling means between the actuating sleeve and the relieved slips whereby downward movement of the sleeve shifts the said relieved slips into wedging engagement with the casing, said setting tool and said sleeve having parts to normally engage and hold the slips in their in,

' unactuated position, and to disengage from the slips when the setting tool and sleeve are operated to set the packer, said relieved slips adapted to collapse when the hanger is urged upwardly in the casing by the setting tool.

'2. A liner hanger and packer of the character referred to engageable in a well casing including, a cylindrical body, a cylindrical barrel fixed to and depending from the body and engaged with a liner, a plurality of upwardly and inwardly inclined guideways and a piurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined guideways about the exterior of the body, slips slidably engaged in the guideways, spring means normally urging the slips longitudinally in the guidewayslto engage the wall of the well casing, coupling means normally holding the slips in an in position said slips in the upwardly inclined guideways being relieved and collapsible, an expansible packer carried by the barrel, an actuating sleeve engaged in the body to shift therein, a follower slidably carried by the barrel to engage the packer, connecting means between the actuating sleeve and the follower whereby downward movement of the sleeve in the body causes the follower to exert expansible pressure onto the packer,

'said coupling means including a pin extending between the actuating sleeve and the collapsible slips said pin adapted to shear upon downward movement of the sleeve thereby releasing the said slips to shift into wedging engagement with the casing, and a setting tool at the lower end of an operating string having parts to engage and hold the suspension slips in an in position connected with the actuating sleeve, and operable to disengage from andrelease the suspension slips and to shift the sleeve longitudinally toset the hold-down slips, and operable to draw the hanger upwardly in the casing, said collapsible slips being adapted to collapse when the hanger is urged upwardly by the setting tool.

3. A liner hanger of the character referred to adapted to engage and suspend a liner in a well casing, including, a cylindrical body suspension slips carried in downwardly and inwardlyinclined guideways in the body to engage 'a casing into which the structure is lowered and to support the structure in the casing, hold-down slips carried in upwardly and inwardly inclined guideways in the body to engage a casing and prevent upward shifting of the structure therein, openings'in the body opposite the holddown slips, an actuating sleeve slidably carried by the body, shear pins carried by the sleeve and projecting through the openings in the body and normally engaging the hold-down slips and holding them in the upper inner ends of the guideways, a setting tool at the lower end of a run-in string including an elongate mandrel, a coupler slidably engaged on the mandrel and threadedly engaged in the sleeve and normally holding the sleeve against downward movement in the body, a sleeve rotatably carried by the coupler and having fingers engaging the suspension slips and holding them in the lower inner ends of the guideways related thereto, said setting tool being operable to shift the fingers out of engagement with the suspension slips and to shift the sleeve downwardly in the body and shift the hold-down slips into engagement with the casing and to shear the pins related thereto, spring means carried by the body to normally urge the suspension slips upwardly and into engagement with the casing,

' said slips having retaining flanges at their sides and engaged in channels in the sides of the guideways, the said hold-down slips being relieved and weakened to collapse and shift into the openings in the body when the structure is pulled upwardly in the casing by the setting tool.

4. A well tool of the character referred to including,

I a setting tool at the lower end of a run-in string of tubing, a liner hanger and packer releasably carried by the setting tool and including, an elongate vertically disposed tubular body having circumferentially spaced longitudinally disposed slots in its lower end portion, an elongate tubular barrel with a radially outwardly projecting enlargement fixed to and depending from the body, a liner fixed to and depending from the barrel, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertically shiftable suspension slips carried by the body and adapted to shift upwardly and outwardly relative to the body and engage a casing in which the tool is engaged, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertically shiftable collapsible hold-down slips carried by the body and adapted to shift downwardly and outwardly relative to the body and engage the casing, openings in the body adjacent the inner sides of the holddown slips, an annular body of deformable packing material around the barrel and engaging the top of the enlargement, a follower slidably carried by the barrel and engaging the top of said packing material and having an upwardly projecting annular skirt overlying the lower slotted portion of the body, an elongate actuating sleeve slidably engaged in the body, pins on the sleeve to project through the openings in the body and engaging the hold-down slips, blocks on the sleeve to project through the slots in the body and fixed to the skirt on the follower, said setting tool including an elongate mandrel fixed to and depending from the run-in string, a coupler carried by the mandrel and threaded into the actuating sleeve, a bearing sleeve carried by the coupler, and fingers depending from the bearing sleeve and engaging the suspension slips to hold them down in an unactuated position, said setting tool being operable to release the suspension slips and to thereafter shift the actuating sleeve downwardly in the body.

5. A well tool of the character referred to including, a setting tool at the lower end of a run-in string of tubing, a liner hanger and packer releasably carried by the setting tool and including, an elongate vertically disposed tubular body having circumferentially spaced longitudinally disposed slots in its lower end portion, an elongate tubular barrel with a radially outwardly projecting enlargement fixed to and depending from the body, a liner fixed to and depending from the barrel, a plurality of circumferentially spaced downwardly and inwardly inclined guideways in the body, vertically shiftable suspension slips carried by the guideways and adapted to shift upwardly and outwardly relative to the body and engage a casing in which the tool is engaged, a plurality of circumferentially spaced upwardly and inwardly inclined guideways in the body, vertically shiftable collapsible hold-down slips carried by the said upwardly inclined guideways and adapted to shift downwardly and outwardly relative to the body and engage the casing, openings in the body and in said upwardly inclined guideways to occur adjacent the inner sides of the hold-down slips, an annular body of deformable packing material around the barrel and engaging the top of the enlargement, a follower slidably carried by the barrel and engaging the top of said packing material and having an upwardly projecting annular skirt overlying the lower slotted portion of the body, an elongate actuating sleeve slidably engaged in the body, pins on the sleeve to project through the openings in the body and engaging the hold-down slips, blocks on the sleeve to project through the slots in the body and fixed to the skirt on the follower, said setting tool including an elongate mandrel fixed to and depending from the run-in string, a coupler carried by the mandrel and threaded into the actuating sleeve, a bearing sleeve carried by the coupler, and fingers depending from the bearing sleeve and engaging the suspension slips to hold them down in an unactuated position, said setting tool being operable to release the suspension slips and to thereafter shift th actuating sleeve downwardly in the body.

6. A liner hanger of the character referred to including, a cylindrical body connected with a liner and having a plurality of upwardly and inwardly inclined and downwardly and inwardly inclined guideways about its outer periphery, casing engaging suspension slips slidably engaged in the downwardly inclined guideways to normally occur at the bottom thereof, casing engaging holddown slips slidably engaged in the upwardly inclined guideways to normally occur in the upper end thereof, spring means normally yieldingly urging the slips longitudinally in their related guideways to engage a casing, means carried by the body to engage and normally maintain said slips in their normal position and operable to disengage from the slips to allow the slips to shift longitudinally and outwardly in their respective guideways including, a sleeve slidably engaged in the body, pins carried by the sleeve and projecting through the body and releasably engaging the hold down slips and a setting tool carried by an operating string and releasably engaging said sleeve and the body and having parts enl gaging and normally holding the suspension slips down, said hold-down slips having wickered outer surfaces and relieved inner surfaces and being collapsible, said body being provided with recesses which occur opposite the hold-down slips to receive the said slips when they are collapsed.

7. A liner hanger adapted to be engaged in a well casing including, a cylindrical body fixed to the upper end of a liner and having a plurality of upwardly and inwardly inclined guideways and a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined guideways about its outer periphery, casing engaging suspension slips slideably engaged in said downwardly inclined guideways, casing engaging hold-down slips slidably engaged in the upwardly inclined guideways, spring means between the body and the slips to urge the slips longitudinally and outwardly in their respective guideways, a sleeve slidably carried by the body, pins carried by the sleeve and releasably engaging the hold down slips, a setting tool carried by an operating string and having a part threadedly engaged with the sleeve and normally holding the sleeve up in the body and the hold down slips up and against the spring means related thereto and having a part releasably engaged with the body to normally engage and hold the suspension slips down in an unactuated position and against the spring means related thereto, said setting tool being operable to disengage from the body and to shift said sleeve to release and allow the slips to shift in the guide ways into wedging engagement between the body and the well casing, said body having recesses therein opposite the hold-down slips when the slips are set, said hold-down slips being relieved and adapted to collapse and shift into the recess when the hanger is pulled upwardly in the well casing by the setting tool and string.

8. A liner hanger adapted to be engaged in a well casing including, a cylindrical body fixed to the upper end of an elongate liner, and having a plurality of upwardly and inwardly inclined guideways and a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined guideways about its outer periphery, casing engaging suspension slips slidably engaged in said downwardly inclined guideways, casing engaging hold-down slips slidably engaged in the upwardly inclined guideways, spring means between the body and the slips to urge the slips longitudinally and outwardly in their respective guideways, a longitudinally shiftable sleeve in the body, radially outwardly projecting pins carried by the sleeve and releasably engaged in radially inwardly opening sockets in the hold-down slips to normally hold the hold-down slips up in an unactuated position, a screw operated setting tool at the lower end of an operating string threadedly engaged in the sleeve and having part rotatably carried thereby to engage and seat on the upper end of the body and having depending fingers to engage and hold the suspension slips down in an unactuated position, and operable to shift the sleeve downwardly in the body and said pins from engagement with the hold-down slips to allow for free upward shift ing of the hold-down slips, said body having recesses opposite the hold-down slips when the slips are set, said hold-down slips having relieved inner surfaces adapting them to collapse into the recess upon the exertion of excess pressure thereon and when the hanger is pulled up in the well casing by means of the setting tool and operating string.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,153,035 Burt Apr. 4, 1939 2,217,747 Henderson Oct. 15, 1940 2,310,572 Burns Feb. 9, 1943 2,337,733 Burns et al Dec. 28, 1943 2,589,337 Burns Mar. 18, 1952 

